Month: August 2012

Dustin Johnson, a five-time champion of the PGA Tour, pulled out of Masters due to back injury that aggravated when he lifted a jet ski, his agent confirmed.

On Twitter, Johnson regarded his injury as “tweaked back.” He also tweeted that he was so eager to walk at the Augusta fairways and accomplish what he had been practicing.

David Winkle, Johnson’s agent at Hambric Sports Management explained to the latest sport news websites that Johnson experienced his back pain first when he retracted from the Humana Challenge, but still played the six weeks following that amidst minor pain.

Winkle further stated in a voicemail that Johnson’s back still troubled him at times, and that the player still played despite the pain since it was not serious.

Johnson, born in Columbia, South Carolina, and resides in southern Florida, had been undergoing a therapy and maintaining an anti-inflammatory medicine. According to Winkle, Johnson will consult other doctors for their opinions and hoping that nothing is serious.

He was ahead after 54 holes in the U.S. Open in 2010 at Pebble Beach and an 82 during the final round. Also, he has achieved a one-shot lead at Whistling Straits during the PGA Championship in 2010 until he was given a penalty of two shots when it was found out that he grounded his golf club in a bunker. In the British Open, he was advancing on Darren Clarke when he hit his second out of bounds shot on hole 14.

With Johnson’s withdrawal, it means that the players at the Masters are lowered to 96.

Johnson hopes to be back in action for the Ryder Cup, in September, where Team USA are slim favourites to win, according to the latest Ryder Cup betting.